Terminal for gas and vapor electric apparatus.



Iny MOF-1. MOORE. TEBMINALFOB GASANDVAPOB. ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".

DANIEL MOFARLAN MOORE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 MOORE ELEC-TRICAL CO., OF NEW YORK, N..Y., A 4CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TERMINAL FOR GAS AND VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

-Application filed December 26, 1906. Serial No. 349,548.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL MCFARLAN MOORE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State' ofNew Jersey, address 52 Lawrence street, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in 4Terminals for Gas and Vapor Electric Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of gas and vapor electric apparatusin which electric energy is caused to circulate through a body of gas orvapor of any degree of density or tension contained in a closed receiveror receptacle by means of energy-transferring electrodes in directcontact with the body of gas or vapor.

My invention is useful for electric lamps, rectiers, X-ray apparatus,oscillographs, wireless telegraph transmitters or receivers or for anyother devices wherein internal electrodes receive or pass the electricenergy from or to a contained gas or vapor which ordinarily Vis more orless rareted. My invention, however, is not limited to any degree ofrarefaction nor is it limited to any particular form or material for theelectrode itself. It is especially useful, however, for that form ofapparatus in which the/ container, receptacle or receiver of the gasconsists ofa tube as in my vacuum tube lamps.

The objects of my invention are, generally speaking, to afford a firmsupport for the electrode, to prevent disintegration of the forward edgethereof by concentration of the electric discharge atlsuch forward edgeor end and to avoid liability of breakage of the wall of the inclosurethrough excessive heating by the electrode and electric discharge.

`A further object is to avoid the tendency of thedischarge to pass overthe outside surface of a cupshaped electrode to the leading-in wires orconnections running through the end of the receptacle to the base of theelectrode.

To these' ends my invention consists broadly in the combination with theelectrode, of means for directing the electric Y discharge past the edgethereof on to the extended plane surfaces to the rear thereof.

My invention consists further in supporting the electrode laterally fromthe lateral walls of the receptacle.

with post-office.

The invention consists also in the particular form of receptacle wherebythe forward edge of the electrode is protected against the electricdischarge, and in other features of construction and combinations ofarts as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In its principal features the invention forming the subject of thepresent case is the same as that described in my prior application filedJan. 5th, 1905, S. N. 239,726 of which application the presentapplication is as to some of its features a continuation. In the presentcase, however, the forward end of the electrode is shown as of lesslateral' dimension than the main portion thereof for the purpose to behereinafter described, whereas in the prior application before referredto, it is of substantially the vsame lateral dimension as the body ofthe electrode. I

In the accompanying drawings I show in longitudinal section a portion ofthe gascontaining receptacle with one of its electrodes, the oppositeelectrode being of similar or any proper construction and serving, withthe electrode shown, energy through the contained gas or vapor.

The main portion of the receptacle 1 between" the electrodes is of anydesired len th and is here shown as consisting of tublng such as atpresent customarily employed in my system of vacuum tube lighting. Theend portion l of the receptacle contains the electrode 2 which latter,in the referred form of my invention, is of cylindrical form, is alsopreferably hollow and is also preferably closed at its rear end whereconnection is made with the leading-in wire 3 by loose or flexibleconnect-ion as will be presently described. The electrode 2 is of anymaterial but I preferably employ graphite or carbon properly treated soas to be as free as possible from occluded gases. `The end portion 1 ofthe receptacle .is preferably tubular also cylindrical in form and themain portion of the electrode 2 fits rather snugly therein so as to besupported by a side wall of the receptacle when the tube is placed inhorizontal position and to further e prevented from moving about freelywithinthe tubedurini transportation with consequent danger of reakage ofthe tube. In thedrawings, the space between the electrode and wall ofthe tube is shown as a to pa'ss electric mensions of the forward portionof the elecinto a longitudinal'hole in a stud 6 at the itself over theinner surfaces and localizabe, to a large extent, diminished.

. trede 2 fits rather snugly within the side vthe discharge to reach theleading-in wires or connections is also practically eliminated.

little exaggerated in order to better illus'- l trate thcconstri'iction.Y l At l there is a contraction inthe recepf tacle forming preferably ashoulderv or olfset between the enlarged portion l and the main portionl of the receptacle thereby directing the electric discharge on to theplane surfaces within the hollow electrode 2 and past the forward edgethereof, which edge or portion is, as shown, located out of the directline of the discharge passing through the main portion l in the generaldirection of its longitudinal axis. The shoulder or offset 4., by meansof which the discharge is thus directed, constitutes in effect a shieldfor the forward edge of the electrode against the passage of theelectric discharge directly theretosince said edge is, as shown, locatedin the line of the offset, its vinternal dimensions. laterally being, asshown, somewhat greater than the diameter of the receptacle at thecontracted, portion thereof through which the discharge reaches theelectrode.

Inasmuch as the main body of the elecwalls of the electrode-containingportion l, the discharge cannotr pass freely around the outside oftheelectrode and attack the connections at the base of the cup. Thedischarge passing into the hollow7 electrode is prevented from reachingthe connections, owing to the fact that the rear end of the hollowelectrode is closed. The outside ditrode are, as shown, somewhat lessthan those of the containing portion l of the tube, thus keeping theforward portion, which is the portion liable to be more highly heated,out of contact with the wall of the tube and thereby preventing breakageof the same from the heat of the electrode or from the electricdischarge when the tube is made of fragile material like glass. Theleadingin wire 3 may be of a number of strands which, within thereceptacle, are spread out, form acushion or spring and pass togetherbase` of the electrode 2 and then out through the lateral opening forattachment to the outer surfaces of the stud. This manner of connectingthe electrode and the leading-in wire is not claimed herein, but isclaimed in my prior` application before referred to.

By directing the discharge past the forward edge of the hollow electrodeand into the interior thereof, it is caused to distribute tion ofheating effects in the electrode may Since the base of the electrode isclosed while the electrode itself lls the bore of the tubular receptacle1, it is obvious that the liability o'f lVhat I claim as my inventionis:

l. In apparatus of the character described, i ..the combination with agas or vapor containing receptacle, of an electrode supported laterallyfrom the side wall of the receptacle and having' its forward end oflesser lateral dimensions to increase the space between the ward edgethereof from the direct attack of the electric discharge.

t. In a vacuum tube lamp, the combination with an internal electrode, ofa shoulder or offset interposed between the forward end of the electrodeand the main portion of the tube, the forward end of the electrode beinglocated just to the rear of said obstruction whereby localization of thedischarge and undue heating at such forward end is prevented. s

5. In a vacuum tube lamp, a tube having its light-giving and electrodeholding portions of different diameters to form a shoulder or offq setin combination with an electrode whose forward edge is locatedimmediately behind the shoulder or off-set, joining the said portions ofthe tube.

6. In a vacuum tube lamp, 'a tubular gascontaining receptacle having anenlarged end section and a tubular electrode mounted in said end sectionwith its forward edge at the rear of the offset between the main portionof the tube and such end section and out ofthe direct path of theelectric discharge.

7. In a vacuum tube lamp, the combination with a tubular electrode, ofmeans for directing the electric discharge into the interior thereof.

8. In an internal electrode vacuum tube lamp, an internal electrodecombined with means for directing the electric discharge past theforward end thereof to surfaces, the plane of which is parallel with thetubular axis of the lamp.

9. In a vacuum tube lamp, the combination of a tubular electrode fittedinto the end section of the gas-containing receptacle and having itsforward portion of reduced dimensions laterally to prevent contact withthe said wall of the receptacle, combined with means for directing theelectric disvcharge pastthe forward edge and on to the interior surfacesof the electrode.

ing receptacle, and an electrode having plane dischargereceivingsurfaces extended in the direction of the axis of the receptacle means'for directing the electric discharge past the forward edge of theelectrode on to such plane surfaces.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ahollow electrode and means for directing the electric discharge past theed e of and on to the interior surfaces of suc hollow electrode.

12. In an apparatus of the' character de. scribed, an electrode having aclosed rear end and a gas-containing receptacle whose electrode holdingportion is filled by the electrode to the base of t e electrode from theelectric discharge.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 7th day of December, A. D. 1906.

DANIEL MCFARLAN MOORE.

Witnesses:

C. F. TrsoHNER, Jr., LILLIAN BLOND.

rotect electric connections to 15

